You can call me crazy, but watched every single episode again. I don’t tend to erase any episodes (including the results shows) until the end of the season. And I’m glad I kept them all because I was reminded of a lot of great performances. I still mourn the premature loses of Alex and Ashley and I’m still sad Billy isn’t in the finale. But I’m confident Kent, Lauren, and Robert will dance their asses off tonight and we should have a great show tonight.
And what of Cat you ask? I like her sparkly little black number. Her hair and makeup look great and she’s adorable, as always.
I think I see something I already like. The judge’s panel consists of only 3. Good. That’s the way it should be. And I just learned that everyone dances 5 times tonight. Nice.
The highlight reel makes me remember that we haven’t seen Hi Hat or Mary Murphy all season. I know Mary choreographed something but Hi Hat didn’t. Boo. I was looking forward to seeing what Hi Hat could do and I would have liked to see Mary Murphy on the panel (with her subbing in for Mia or Adam) at least once this season.
Kent
All-star partner: Lauren
Nakul Dev Mahajan / Bollywood
Rehearsal: It’s about a couple at the altar and the groom gets cold feet. Bollywood is campy so Nakul encourages Kent to bring on the faces.
Om Mangalam / Kambakkht Ishq (soundtrack)
Performance: I like this dance when it’s fast. I’m really enjoying it so far but I don’t need to see Kent flipping around the stage. Great energy and it looks like they’re having a blast. Very nice job.
Judge’s critiques:
Nigel says it’s great fun choreography, great costumes, and great dancing. Mia thinks it’s perfectly tailored to Kent. He hit everything precisely. Kentish. Adam thinks the energizer bunny should retire. He’s the feel good dancer of the year.
Further critique: I agree. I thought it was highly enjoyable and I didn’t mind Kent’s crazy faces. This time.
Lauren
All-star partner: Twitch
Tabitha & Napoleon / Hip Hop
Rehearsal: It’s about struggle so it’s a presidential debate – a debate through dance. Their movements mirror the lyrics and their speeches.
Power / Kanye West
Performance: It’s cool so far. Lauren’s hitting it very hard. She’s great in this style. Great side-by-side and individual dancing. Interesting concept, very nice execution.
Judge’s critiques:
Nigel says art inspires art. NappyTabs is just so good at inspiring people to dance. She dances that so strongly. Lauren brings out strength. She’s transfixing. Mia calls her filthy. What a season NappyTabs has had. Mia doesn’t know if there’s anything Lauren can’t do. She loves the masculine/feminine balance. Adam says Lauren makes him proud to be sitting in his chair. She’s one of his favorite girls the show has ever had.
Further comment: Love her.
Robert
All-star partner: Mark
Tyce DiOrio / Jazz
Rehearsal: The piece is a power surge of electrical energy.
Whip It / Devo
Performance: Great song choice. Fun opening. They aren’t perfectly in sync, which is throwing me off a bit. I think Robert’s nerves might be getting to him. I am enjoying it but it’s a little weird.
Judge’s critiques:
Nigel says Tyce has done an incredible job of choreographing something that doesn’t look like him. He likes that Robert and Mark had fun doing it. Mia wants them to be on tour with Adam Ant. She loves the look. For her, Robert is the most improved of the season. The piece is awesome. Adam thinks this piece is a testament to the addition of the all-stars. Robert dances like he’s not competing.
Further comment: I just didn’t love it as much as the judges did. Even though I love Mark in perhaps a slightly unhealthy way, I think they did Robert a disservice tonight to pair him with a guy for this style. It’s just my opinion.
Kent’s solo
The Finish Line / Train
A bit too frenetic for me. Why is he dancing like he’s desperate? I didn’t enjoy it at all. He rushed through his tricks and didn’t seem to have much control. Take a deep breath, Kent.
Lauren and Robert
Dee Caspary / Contemporary
Rehearsal: It’s about them going home and being at piece with how the journey has been. They’re having trouble with their prop pillow.
That Home / Cinematic Orchestra
Performance: The piece is so cool but the pillow is a huge distraction. Make it go away! Great technique. Wow. Amazing connection – physical and emotional. I loved it. And I warmed up to the pillow.
Judge’s critiques:
Nigel complements Dee on the choreography. There are touches of genius. Strength sums them both up. Very beautiful from the pair of them. Mia calls Dee unreal. The use of the pillow, the fluidity, the connection is never-ending. This is the most delicious performance from Robert to date. He’s so open and humble. Mia expected perfection and Lauren is perfection. She’s such a proud Mama Mia right now. All Adam saw up there was how much they love and support each other, as well as beauty.
Further comment: These two dancers have come a really long way. Lauren is strong yet vulnerable. Robert managed to put that wacky personality away so we can focus on his dancing. I love these two, together and apart.
Kent and Lauren
Mandy Moore / Jazz
Rehearsal: Mandy wants the piece to embody quirky and cool just like Lauren and Kent do. There’s no kissing this week. Yes, there is.
Hip to be Square / Huey Lewis & the News
Performance: Great music. The piece is very cute but it’s not really doing anything for me. Is it just me or does it seems a little low energy? I can see that they’re doing some tricks but the energy feels off.
Judge’s critiques:
Nigel doesn’t feel they were challenged enough. They kept the characters well and did what was asked of them. Mia isn’t sure what to say. It was fun, right? She enjoyed the quirkiness. They killed it but she didn’t like it. Adam loves them, that was crazy, get out of here.
Further comment: I’m glad the judges managed to put into words what I couldn’t. I didn’t care for it either.
Robert’s solo
The District Sleeps Alone / The Postal Service
Great quality of movement. Interesting body positions. Nice levels. Very nice control. A great showcase for his talent.
Kent
All-star partner: Allison
Stacey Tookey / Contemporary
Rehearsal: It’s about looking into a relationship everyone thinks is perfect but they have a lot of problems they don’t talk about. Who’s going to break first? Stacey is digging through to an honest place.
Sundrenched World (Live Session) / Joshua Radin
Performance: A nice, quiet start. Great connections. They are dancing with and off of each other so well. Kent is really giving us something here. That string/puppet thing is really cool. Very nice dancing and great emotion.
Judge’s critiques:
Nigel thinks Kent’s lines get better and stronger each week. Emotions are real. Honesty to the performance. The only chink in his armor is his upper body strength, although it didn’t show here. Mia feels like he’s so invested. Kent’s technique and solidity is flawless. When he says “Get off of me” at the end, it’s genius. It’s a love fest from Mia. Adam is wondering what’s going on with Kent right now. Kent just became an artist. Adam is so proud of him. So special, brilliant.
Further critique: I was really feeling this piece from Kent tonight. I do feel the brilliance. And you can see how emotionally invested in it he is.
Lauren’s solo
I’m Goin’ Down / Mary J Blige
Nice levels. Great technique. She’s showing us her heart and she looks like she’s really enjoying it out there. I heart her.
Robert
All-star partner: Kathryn
Spence Liff / Broadway
Rehearsal: An interrogation room. Kathryn is a sexy, hot interrogator. Robert’s got to keep his cool for this number.
Cool / West Side Story (1961 soundtrack)
Performance: I like his solo at the beginning. Great chemistry with Kathryn. I’m really enjoying them dancing together. Great movement across the stage. I saw a lot of typical Broadway dancing but I really enjoyed it. Great job.
Judge’s critiques:
This is one of Nigel’s favorite pieces of music. Robert danced it very well. He is showing all the different sides to his dancing technique. He’s delighted with Robert’s journey on the show. Mia got a little nervous when she heard the music. She loves the classic feel. He put his own story behind it. She wanted a little more simmer. This is a special piece of choreography for Adam. Spencer put a fresh spin on it. Jerome Roberts would have been proud of Robert.
Further critique: I am not familiar with the original. Having no reference point I really loved it. And you know how I usually feel about Broadway so that’s really saying something.
Lauren
All-star partner: Pasha
Melanie Lapatin & Tony Meredith / Cha cha
Rehearsal: Lauren sees Pasha and she loses her mind. Sometimes she gets a little dirty.
Not Myself Tonight / Christina Aquilera
Performance: Great connection at the beginning. Very sexy. I’m loving it. I want her to have a better connection with Pasha. She’s dancing a little too much to the crowd for me. Those lifts were very intricate, and very well done.
Judge’s critiques:
Nigel says it’s a fabulous routine. The foot-action, knee-stops, everything. It looked near-perfect. She’s the best contemporary girl they’ve had do a ballroom routine. It looks like she got everything right. Mia wants to know who Lauren is. Mia’s so happy she stood up for Lauren’s butt this season. She owns everything. If Mia was still dancing she’s want to dance just like Lauren. She never gets bored watching her. Adam says Lauren feels the music like no one else on this show. She understands the notes and rhythms and embodies it.
Further critique: Technically, I did think Lauren was quite impressive. I still wanted a little bit more of a connection between Lauren and her partner.
Kent and Robert
Miriam Larici & Leonardo Barrionuevo / Malevos
Rehearsal: It’s a fight. Malevos means gangster. They’re from the outskirts and they’re ready to battle it out, Tango-style. The footwork is crazy.
The Chosen/Drum Addict / Taylor Long
Performance: I always love new things on this show. It’s interesting because it’s basically a Tango but with two guys. I’m enjoying this. The footwork looks pretty crisp but not flawless. I think they’ve got their characters down. I want them to be going after it a little harder though. The intensity at the end is nice but it looks like they have a little technical difficulty.
Judge’s critiques:
Nigel had never heard of this routine. It’s what the men do to practice the Tango before they dance it with women. All of the dancers have worked so hard this week and throughout the competition. Nigel asks the audience to vote. They all deserve it. Mia loves the feel of this piece. There was a debonair quality as well as a hood quality. Great performance. The legwork could be tighter. It wasn’t perfection but she loved it. There were some elements that weren’t quite right but at this point it doesn’t matter. The final three have become Adam’s favorite dancers from any season. They entered as kids and came out seasoned professionals.
Further critique: I would have loved to see it danced completely clean, but I still enjoyed the emotion and the story. Great job.
Even though it might not seem like it, I will be happy if any three of these dancers take home the crown tomorrow night. I think they all danced brilliantly and I want to see them all succeed in the dance world and in life.
What did you think of the finale? Who got your vote? Who do you think will win it all?
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